Shredded Pork Tacos

I love pork. I love tacos. I love pork tacos. Recipe partially from Everyday Foods.
Shredded Pork Tacos
Serves 4-6

Ingredients-
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 3-4 pound pork roast, cut in half lengthwise
1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes in juice
1-2 large chipotle chiles in adobo, minced (use more if you like it hotter, or less if not)
1 cup water
1-2 tablespoons honey
16 toasted corn tortillas (the small size)
1 cup shredded or crumbled cheese (I'd recommend queso fresco, but use what you like)
1 cup fresh cilantro

Directions-

1- Heat oil in a large pot (5-6 quart)over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, thyme, oregano and bay leaves, put a little salt and pepper on for seasoning. Cook until the onion is softened, but not caramelized, 5 or so minutes.
2- Add the tomato paste, and stir it in until it's mixed with the onions and other ingredients.
3- Add the pork, tomatoes (try to break them up with a spoon when you add them) and the juice from the can, chipotle peppers, water, and honey. Stir together as best you can, bring to boil.
4- Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the meat gets nice and tender (2-2.5 hours at least). Remove and discard the bay leaves.
5- Transfer the meat (using tongs fool!) to a large bowl. Shred it with two forks. Get rid of any large pieces of fat or gristle you find.
6- Return the (now shredded) meat to the pan, simmering it until the sauce gets thick (about 30-45 minutes). Taste it! (remember that it's hot!) Add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
7- Spoon the pork and sauce into tortillas, using two tortillas for each serving top with cheese and cilantro (and some mango salsa if you've got it). A side of black beans and rice never hurts either. Hot sauce is essential.
8- Eat for nutritional enjoyment.

Teriyaki Swordfish with Orange-Mango-Tomato Salsa

I'd never eaten swordfish before making this, and I have to say that I quite enjoyed it. I think that the recipe would be just as good with tuna, so try it with that if you don't want to eat swordfish. This recipe is my tweaked and adapted version of one from the Bon Appétit cookbook.

Teriyaki Swordfish with Orange-Mango-Tomato Salsa
Serves 6

Ingredients-

Salsa:
3 oranges, peel and pith cut away, seeded and diced
1 mango, diced
1 1/2 cups chopped seeded tomatoes
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (substitute fresh parsley if you prefer)
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons vinegar (I used sherry vinegar, but the original recipe calls for balsamic)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I like it hot, so I quadrupled this)

Marinade and fish:
3/4 cup bottled teriyaki sauce
2/3 cup fruit juice mixed with citrus juice (about a 3/1 ratio)- I used apple/pomegranite/lime juice
4 garlic cloves, mixed
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
1 teaspoon seasame oil
6 5- to 6-ounce swordfish steaks (about 1 inch thick)

Directions-
For salsa:

Toss together all the ingredients in a large bowl. Throw some salt and pepper on there to your taste. Put in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. (It can stay in the fridge for up to four hours).

For marinide and fish:

1-Combine the teriyaki sauce and the next four ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring it up to a boil. Set it aside to cool.

2- Arrange the swordfish in a shallow glass baking dish. Pour the marinade over the swordfish, turn and coat evenly. Save out some of the marinade if you want to have some for drizzling on later. Cover the fish and put it in the fridge to marinade for 1 1/2 hours.

3- Preheat the grill (or I used a skillet on the stove) to medium-high heat. Make sure that you've cleaned and oiled the grill before hand.

4- Grill the fish until opaque in the center, about 4 minutes per side. Put it up on a plate with some salsa. (I served it with field greens and rice)

5- Eat pleae.

Caramelized Salmon with Mango Salsa

When this popped up on my google reader, I immediately starred it and decided to make it ASAP. I am SO glad I didn't wait, because it is delicious! I've been wanting to make it again all week. Make it and I'm sure you'll devour it just like we did!


Caramelized Salmon with Mango Salsa
Adapted from Quick Cooking Site

Salmon
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 lb. salmon (about 6 fillets, 1/4 lb. each)

Mango Salsa
1 mango, peeled and finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
2 Tb. finely diced green pepper
1 small jalapeno pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup cilantro, diced
1 Tb. rice vinegar
1 tsp. lime juice
1 tsp. olive oil
dash kosher salt
dash black pepper
dash garlic powder

1. Preheat grill. Combine sugar, salt, and pepper in shallow dish. Rub each salmon fillet in the sugar mixture, being sure to well coat each side. Grill over low heat for about 5-8 minutes on each side, until crispy and cooked through.
2. Meanwhile, combine all salsa ingredients and set aside.
3. Top salmon with salsa and serve with rice and grilled pineapple.